Salem Calling
by Ms.Dawes
Summary: Damon and his taking- the- world over exploits... Caroline's taking the trip with him willing/unwilling ...does it matter?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: i don't own a thing**

'**Every wish cannot take flight as every love can't have its own'**

**Salem's police Dept.**

The guileless silence dragged on for quite a bit as detective Jamison took a long drag of his silk cut and leisurely blew the nicotine in a non-offensive direction, his partner seemed almost sombre in respect to the older man's cigarette break, it was almost creepy how people here seemed considerate of the littlest things.

Jamison squashed the cigarette after a few puffs and settled into his best inquisitive detective pose in front of the 'out- of- the- towner'. It was time for the truth.

'Ms...' he re-read the name off the clipboard 'Gilbert...why don't you start from the beginning, and this time tell us everything you're leaving out?' The quasi cynical smile on his lips didn't play for long as the brunette in front of him shifted uneasily in her hard metal chair and after a small bout of hesitation returned the detectives gaze determinedly. They were calmly intense, not shifty like criminals, he expected her to cave in completely or bolt for the locked door screaming like mad...

Although he believed she wasn't capable of committing the crime they recorded at the crime scene he just knew she knew much more about it then she was letting on. When she finally sighed and muttered a exasperated 'fine' He settled himself on opposite side silently congratulating himself.

'Enlighten me ...Elena'

Another shaky sigh later she started with 'So...actually, it's really Caroline's fault we-i mean, i'm here...'

**Forbes Residence**

Caroline shifted in her arm chair uneasily, firstly because she's never really used the hard laid back chair that's sat in her room indefinitely for anything like sitting, its resident function was more to pile on clothes she had already tried for a date/outing and disliked ...purses and scarves rested on it on a daily basis after school or a night out at mystic grill, had she not been backed into and made to sit on it she would have never realized its use as a hanger of unconventional items or its complete uselessness as something comfortable to sit on.

Secondly, the only reason she had to resort to sitting down on it was because the towns resident psychotic vampire stood in front of her with his arms crossed. His expression was one of latent concern and open speculation, and he'd threatened her with pointless violence if she squeaked.

'Damon...' she started after the silence had stretched for longer then she felt necessary and her back had started sweat, He held up a quieting finger 'A! Shut up'

Caroline took that as a queue to keep her list of practiced threats to herself and He continued to frown as if he were having a long conversation in his mind with himself? Or someone else? Could vampires do that? She wasn't sure really. She sighed a long sigh and ignored the raised eyebrow he sent in her direction.

She couldn't believe how freely Damon Salvatore even considered entering her room through the window after he has made it adamantly clear that he's dumped her for good and her relationship with Matt has just started to take off.

Taken off or landed already she didn't know what would become of their relationship. It had started tentatively with them as friends moving in unknown territory, her somewhat aware of his long history with Elena Gilbert and him aware somewhat of her bad experience with Stefan Salvatore's brother. What bothered her was the sinking idea that Matt, seriously sincere as he was, was he doing this as a rebound thing? Casual dating until he felt ready to face the real world.

Caroline believed in herself as good as the next blonde and beautiful complete with brains and capacity to change to make others like her...even then she avoided being intimidated by his seriousness. He was sensitive about feelings, that Matt. Even as she had a hard time admitting she needed to work on the 'tact' thing as he put it, she was proud that at least she had tried to impress him.

What really got her was the idea that it might not be enough to win him over completely. Seriously sensitive guys like him only came around once in a while and she felt like she was missing her catch because Elena kept turning up and distracting her blossoming relationship from becoming anything more than casual dating.

Distraction was an understatement.

Matt's eyes seem to change whenever his gaze landed on Elena, it was the same sort of look Caroline noticed Stefan always giving her. There was a hesitation, a clumsiness in him when he ran into Elena. Not like when they are together. The strange sort of intense seriousness seemed to fade when 'she' was around. He always seemed more critical and angry around Caroline.

Not violent angry but subtle, irritation angry, as if she were testing his patience or grating on his nerves.

After Matt blurted out that he wasn't sure about this 'relationship thing' Caroline had quietly looked around the 'grill', his work mates stood surveying her humiliation in clear light. It reminded her of Damon telling her she was 'stupid and useless', his words had rang like a slap, It was the same feeling when Matt looked at her intensely mad at being made to confess his confusion.

She only muttered an equally confused 'sorry' to that and ran into the darkness to find the nearest place that would offer her a drink without asking for some kind of ID to make themselves feel better about not corrupting young morals until they were of age.

The lights were dim and the bartenders careless. It was the perfect place to get sobbing drunk and not worry about her mother showing up with handcuffs to embarrass her.

She drank to her darkness as it steadily filled her with mirth over her situation, and the drinks qualified a definite road accident, if she tried to drive. She had tried once to get up and find the door to get some air, things were getting crazy blurry and she was alone...mostly, except for when she ran smack into someone wearing black.

She knew it was him when he casually asked if 'Captain America had already left her?' she tried to shove him away for that honest crack but things weren't where she imagined them to be right then because of all the alcohol she had intently consumed to forget about the darkness consuming her life, she crashed on the floor gracelessly in the attempt.

Damon Salvatore, professional ass that he was... wanted to naturally drink to that.

She doesn't remember telling him, but he already seemed to know of her un-relationship issues, how she didn't manage to ask...he offered her another drink genially at that and she took it with only the slightest of glares she could manage at him. Surprise, surprise...not.

Hence, he told her about the next big thing he was planning...and so naturally, she listened, if only in drunk stupor. She remembered the doom and gloom in his voice as he smashed back drink after drink. He was restlessly angry about something. Something that made his shoulders hunch together like a bloodthirsty vulture, something she had only wisps of memory about.

Oh and then there was something about the love of his 'un-life' betraying him or being a bitch...or was it both?

She remembered giggling at that telling him just as genially that he 'deserved it' and then watching his teeth glint in a tiny angsty sneer across his handsomely cruel face. It was the 'bad boy's really , really hurt' look, very melting and slightly unnerving but nerves were no longer an issue for Caroline she was drunk as a skunk and strung as high as a flag. She was not intimated by his presence or his sarcasm to her existence as a drinking partner at this time.

Either he found all this very amusing or he was trying to control his violent 'hands free' urges in a public place because he was quiet for a very long time next to her looking off into space, while she let lose her opinion of him as the lowest pond scum she had ever the misfortune of falling for. It was fine by her that he ignored her indiscretions towards him and she continued her trek to being totally smashed, it was like a good dream she once had about berating him senselessly. Only this time she was the one who was wholly senseless.

Her mother would be furious to see her like this.

She doubted that thought would have made her get off the stool she was perched on so determinedly any earlier or at least until the 'lights went out'. She almost rose to leave when whispers of 'underage kid' started multiplying but she also knew about Damon's insufferable attitude towards her opinions, he was a bit slow tonight, it was almost as an afterthought thqat he kicked the stool from right under her. She fell flat on her ass. Her head spun, back side ached like hell and the lights dimmed drastically while the bar patrons panicked at this development.

She might have muttered some form of obscenities at no one in particular then, Last thing she heard was Damon's voice next to her ear whispering torment like a promise.

Damn.

She remembered the feeling of his arms... strong, lifting her off the hard floor and taking her out of the bar, into the night somewhere...where? She was too whacked out to panic and alert people to his as large as life non human status, besides she doubted it would save her. If he wanted to bite the crap out of her on the street …he would, she felt much braver knocking back drinks and insulting him in a public place...Too bad.

A faint outline of the moon's fading crescent shape triggered some frightening memory involving her neck and his fangs, Still even as it got darker and darker under her eyelids, Her lips managed to move a fraction and a half, pleading with him in slurry tones not to 'hurt' her.

Maybe it was her state of complete helplessness by choice that made her boring or that Damon liked to chase his food before sinking in his fangs because as he wrestled her into her own car he muttered a 'pipe down!' and 'i'm not going to bite you Caroline' with a touch of irritation and something else, something she wasn't able to quite pick up on while incoherent.

Sympathy? from the blood sucking fiend who feasted on her as a form of relationship...righhhhht.

If her memory served her right, she had passed out after that. And when she woke up the next morning, even though her memory of the night before was to say at the best 'murky', she had still consciously searched for bite marks or signs of violence. Like a reflex.

There was nothing. She decided it could have been a strange dream she had and left it at that for two days.

Until the 2nd night, Where Damon decided to remind her that it had been very real and showed signs of concern over how much she did actually remember ...about his 'plan'. This is why he was in her room promising her a world of violence ...and pain. So what else was new in her life since he's showed up in this town?

Caroline remembered only bits and pieces ...that and her butt hurt like a big sore. She told him all this in between his manic pacing in her room unsure of how much he heard or discarded, he didn't exactly scream Mr. Focus right now. That and he'd asked her what happened to her twilight collection, she had gotten rid of since…well, since Damon had dropped her like a bad habit.

It just felt unsavory and shaming to have them around her. Those books had somehow defined her in a certain way, a certain way that made her seem dumb to others. Well, to Damon.

Maybe she did it just to get his attention or just to annoy him but it was something she couldn't resist asking even though she knew the answer to already 'Did you bite me that night..?'

Said potential biter's eyebrows hitched up until they almost left his forehead, he looked about ready to shake her senseless 'what are you stupid or something?' It wasn't so much as a question as it was a statement, she looked at him calmly crossing her arms over her chest, he was here out of his own volition without any invite from her, she didn't feel the slightest bit charitable at his state of unrest, uncertainty…whatever bug that was scratching him so fiercely that he had to come to her, at this time of the night.

When she didn't agree or disagree with him, he sighed dramatically, as his custom and humored her 'If I bit you?...you would know it Caroline…kay?'

How very reassuring of him, she said nothing to that.

He sat down on her bed uncharacteristically sad about something, about not making a meal out of her? She wasn't sure, He didn't say and she didn't ask. She felt so far this was as good harmless symbiotic hunter-prey as it got relationship. It wasn't so much as the slight dark circles under his eyes as the mood that kind of spoke to her. Brooding and sad like a cloud of darkness.

It was the funk she'd been in since he kicked her out of his life or un-life, whatever. This no longer bothered her…or at least she felt it didn't. Then why was she identifying with it so easily?

Dammit. She was not doing this falling for the twinkling dark eyes crap again. No more mind games.

When the ticking of the clock on her wall got louder and louder in her ears, Caroline leapt out of her chair like a bout of electricity had just coursed through her. She was not going to be afraid of him, what's the worst he can do? Bite her? Been there, suffered through that. She had no weapons but figured the inflamed adrenaline would have to do for now.

She was going to tell him to leave in her best I'm civilized but not above screaming like a banshee tone. Except he wasn't looking up at her, it's like he was spaced out about something, his hands were clasped together calmly, his eyelids hid the expression in his eyes...would he notice if she tried to stab him. Not that she could get that far, if he wanted he could knock her flat on the ground without blinking.

Caroline raised her hand to wave in front of him. His eyes made no flicker of movement to follow hers, she bent for a better view at his face. Somewhere in her mind was a ringing that she was doing something incredibly stupid…

'Damon..'

Suddenly he'd caught her hand as if he remembered she was here, Caroline jerked in his grip ... it tightened enough to hurt but not break, he looked at her then fully with the currents in eyes strangely still, expressionless face..he tugged at her gently enough to make her lean forward to him, and she did it.

When he said her name softly in wonderment, as if he were amazed or dazed by something. Or he had finally decided on something. Yes that look with the still dark eyes was what it was a 'decision', a decision that was going use and abuse her like a total sacrifice... oh shit ! she just knew she was in deep trouble when he opened his mouth ' How do you feel about going to Salem with me?...'

Salem? it was like a light bulb had gone on in her head. She remembered suddenly what it was he was telling her in the bar that night. He wanted to go to Salem for something...some power thing , like an artifact. Before her mouth did something incredibly stupid like blurting all that out without stopping for air she shut it real tight and tried to give him her best neutral look.

'ummm Salem? why?, i'm not sure Damon ...'

He smiled his normal smile completely neutral, completely focused on her. Caroline was sure she should not be looking in his eyes or the stupidly dilating pupils, but it was too late, her heart sank even though the rest of her relaxed in his grip, she felt her mouth smile back at him telling him she had nothing better to do tonight.

He got up and released her with a slightly playful twirl, Caroline felt as relaxed as if she'd swallowed a couple of valiums, which she hasn't done for a long time now.

Damon half dropped out of her window and held out a hand for her, she looked at her bed where her cell phone lay unloved and quiet like a small decoration, that hadn't rung in over two days. Matt, Elena & Bonnie all seemed to be getting along fine without her, why should she care or tell them she was off with a glorified killer…She did not smile at herself or Damon Salvatore who was still languidly resting on her window sill waiting for her 'Let's go beautiful…times a'waisting!'


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: don't own anything

**SALEM CALLING **

**Salem Police Dept. **

**Present Day**

**04.00 AM**

Elena shifted in the chair again, it was hard to get any more comfortable in the hunk of unsteady steel then she already was,Sleep was a secondary need that had been evading her for a long time now...she was used to being up this late,somehow she didn't think Detective Jamison would appreciate her need to straighten her back or stretch her legs that much. Cool water in a plastic cup quivered by her in the bright light of the light bulb over her head. She sipped it gingerly looking between both detectives one sitting avidly interested almost hunched over the table, the other just as far away leaning against the wall of the room.

She resisted the urge to tip the cup over with her pinky finger just to see how they would react, probably lock her up faster than she can say 'I want my lawyer' or 'the fifth amendment'!

No. Elena was not the winding up type. She liked to keep people around her calm and she like to stay reasonably peaceful around those who agreed to keep a situation reasonably calm. So far her blow by blow account of her 'random' excursions into the Salem historical society in the middle of the night had only Implicated Caroline's role. Might as well be, that's why she was here wasn't she?

Because of Caroline's childish insistence to be the center of 'danger' everywhere?

Maybe it was unfair to say that but she did not have time for this, she couldn 't pretend to understand Caroline's reasoning to help Damon Salvatore at this time when he couldn't be more out of control, it's not like Caroline could be compelled anymore. She had made sure she slipped as many verbane filled trinkets and drinks to Caroline as she humanly could, So, what the hell had she been thinking?

Hadn't Damon been a complete monster and only terrorized her completely in the short time they were dating? Why was she doing this to herself? When was Bonnie going to stop sulking over vampires in her life and do something useful...like help them they were the good guys after all! And where the hell was Stefan during all this? Why couldn't he be more proactive in these situations? He was supposed to keep a frikking eye on Damon! Why was she always left dodging the bombs she had no control over? WHY?

The questionable existence she was continuing to survive was the mother of all insecurity that was threatening to rip her apart a piece at a time.

All this and more equaled to zero expectation for cooperative input from Damon. However ghastly a quality Bonnie might find in Elena, she found it easier to think of him as a loose cannon that could talk, walk and dance on trouble all the same unwarranted. She did not expect anything less than unadulterated madness from him. So it hadn't come as a surprise when she heard of Caroline taking off with Damon from Bonnie who was alerted to her disappearance by Matt, who was nudged in the direction by Tyler, who was seriously drunk and annoyed of Jeremy following him around for some reason.

And then she took off with Bonnie to save Caroline. Again. As and when Stefan might have gotten around to finding out what was going on he roped in Jeremy to tell him where Elena was going and had followed her.

All in all the less she filled in the Salem police on all of this the better. Sighing was becoming one of her bad habits, yet she uttered another one and tried to mentally take stock of her burgeoning problems while conveying her un-enthusiasm for the current company of the detectives.

They thought…no, 'believed' that she had tried to murder Caroline in cold blood, literally.

Yes, there are times like now where she would like to take a crack at atleast taking Caroline by the shoulders and shaking her stiff but she would never, never in a million years think of killing her. She was her friend after all. A somewhat misguided and oddly desensitized to others, semi superficial friend who has absolutely no idea of the hell Elena was going through since…since her love life started to take a darker turn and become all kinds of bloody fun.

Well, wherever Caroline is she better damn well be smiling right now.

**En Route Salem **

**Present Day**

**10:30 pm **

Caroline Shifted in the unyielding new leather seats of Damon's car, her butt was sore from him knocking her down in the bar. He looked too determined to sprint non stop to the destination she was already dearly dreading with her life, she did not think he would stop to let her stretch her legs if she asked. Too bad he couldn't compel her anymore, she must be a good actress because he couldn't tell the difference and Caroline wasn't sure whether that said something good about her or otherwise.

She grunted when he asked her to stop just being a statue and fiddle with the radio for some tunes and swore if she put on something remotely Taylor Swifty he was going to have a disturbingly violent episode, she found Skillet playing 'invisible' somewhere, and his smile of gratitude said it all. Here was Caroline's simplistic desire to be part of something greater then what her life was offering her. Greater then what and Elena and the 'others' offered her most of the time any way. The truth about what the hell was going on around her.

And she had taken the fishing line and jumped ...a bit stupidly maybe.

Right now her legs were thrumming with the vague feeling of helplessness and some excitement mixed in with fear over her fateful road trip. There was no moon, no stars the sky was an empty black space as he zoomed over the dark expanse. She could not see a thing.

Salem was 2 hours away he told her. She listened to him rant about his ex, cursed her and his brothers unending existence in his unlife. All his 'evil' triumphs were somehow badly affected by this 'Katherine'. Caroline did not ask more than he let on. He seemed in a chatty mood and didn't seem to mind her monosyllable responses and grunts to his rants. Although when he joked about blowing up the Historical Society just for fun and saw Caroline's blank unyielding stare he seemed genuinely hurt or bothered and proceeded to ask her by mimicking her voice "So Carooooline...what like happened to your sense of humor?, this got something to do with the missing twilight collection in your room? Cause you know they atleast made you funny to be around"

She looked around steadily to meet his gaze and told his just as cattily that maybe her sense of humor had been bitten away by somebody and she found the real twilight too ugly up close, so she got rid of the books just to get rid of the horror. He shifted in his seat...bristled, his eyes seemed to blaze for a minute before settling down. But he was suddenly very quiet and looked away just as she found something remotely sympathetic lurking around in them. It might have been too dark to tell anyway.

Sympathy from a violently moody liar? she did not think so.

Again she thought he was a bit slow tonight because as an after thought he spoke, he was off his game, 'I don't know what you remember about me but im really not the apologetic type' there was some quite heat behind it but she ignored it, she was too shocked by the almost admission. Maybe tonight was a death wish night, because she did not consider before verbally bashing him again 'Well i don't 'do' friendship with psychotic losers either! so why the hell am i here Damon?, what the hell do you want with me? because its obviously not the pleasure of my undisputed company that's driving you to play nice to me finally'

She might have been slightly out of breath , loud and out of line with the yelling at someone who could probably elbow her jaw into a mess from where he was sitting, but she still maintained her posture as he screeched the car to stop in the middle of the road.

Conveniently, no other cars were going by.

Caroline dove for the door handle and felt sickly panic knowing full well her reflexes were incompatibly slower that those of the vampire next to her as his shadow covered her before she could think of whether the locks were activated and her arms crushed into an uncomfortable snuggle by his rigidly cold ones.

Strangely his voice was warm and alarmingly calm when he asked her 'Where do you think you're going?' Yes, simple as that question was she did not feel a response was her top priority right now, more like skedaddle.

He made her face him, as easy as flipping a switch. Great, so her big mouth was going to get her killed or maimed or both...not necessarily in the same order. Still it dimmed her comprehension why she could not connect her mouth to her brain long enough to stop it from betraying her faltering new found confidence in herself. 'I am not doing anything with you out of my free will, you got that?' Even as she said it she knew how unreasonably stupid it had just sounded. Even to her own ears.

Cringing was her afterthought.

It hung in the air for a while as Damon chuckled darkly with her firmly close to him. From here he could bite her, kiss her...head butt her, god knows. 'Then why are you here with me right now so willingly ensconced in my protective surroundings hmm...?'

She wanted to tell him it certainly was not because he compelled her.

Maybe it was just the element of darkness around them, and the coldness in the blue of his eyes ,His eyebrows were doing that hitching up thing and she just knew the crazy grin wasn't too far away. He was trying to make her feel stupid and confused, which grudgingly she admitted to herself that she maybe needed to kick start her into thinking about her physical safety. But this was a strange night and she did not think her telling him that she wasn't even a least bit compelled would go down well with him, so she went for a much more distracting answer to his question as she felt he suspected her un-compelled state. It wouldn't be a surprise.

Oh, what the hell, it might be worth it even if it earned her point black bite. 'I'm here to stake your ass when you attempt your evil little scheme'.

There was a gleam of surprise and awe in his face at that. Her arms rippled under his into goosebumps as the cold crept over her with that true to life admission. It felt true and like something she practiced in front of a mirror many times. For a minute Damon looked like he could not decide whether to bite her or kiss her. Maybe both.

And damn him but she was thinking the same.

Fortunately for both of them before either could comment verbally or physically on that threat the sound of a distant siren and flashing blue and red lights separated them from each other.

He looked at her with warning and she looked at the door handle again.

**A/N: Great reviews guys, thanks for the encouragement...x**


	3. Chapter 3

A.N: Grateful for the support guys, keep it up with the reviews, am having a good time writing this story as well. the idea came to me while i was watching re runs of Angel, the 'shroud of rahmon' episode, that's the episode that inspired me for this fic.

hopefully it's going good.

**Salem Police Dept.**

**4:45 am**

Elena had a gorwing headache, The constant brightness of the blinding overhead bulb combined with sudden outbursts from the heavy set detective that rumbeled the table under her arms made for a very caged and restrained feel about things for her. They did not offer her a phone call to her legal gaurdian ...not even Alaric.

He would have known what to do.

She cursed herself for the millionth error in her judgement. She should have protracted Alaric's help when Bonnie found out where Caroline was and who she was with.

She should have speed dialed the teachers number and asked for his help.

Things seemed to have a smoother outcome when he intervened. Not that he was not all about violence too but the teenage/vampire impulsiveness that the rest of them usually attributed seemed a few hundred degrees lower in him. He was sharp with plans and strategy, more focused on damage control. That's exactly what they needed right now.

Damage control so that she could deal with Damon and Caroline after wards. That would be the ideal outcome. Oh well, they always ended up with dead bodies either way.

God, if Bonnie could hear her thinking they would probably never be friends again. Fingers rapping sharply on the table snapped out of her reverie. Come on Elena think assertive.

'Do you mean to say your friend rang your cell phone while the traffic officer questioned her for stopping in the middle of the road?'

Elena glowered at detective Jamison's refusal to let her little slip of detail go. She hadn't exactly had all the time in the world to plan a strategy or get her stories straight with the 'others'. Because when the flying bullets and fangs died down she was the only one left in the vicinity bending over Caroline's unmoving form.

She had made an error admitting that Caroline had called them, well 'her' while on the road to Salem...she left out Bonnie's name, no need to put anyone through the torture of the blinding light at dawn when anyone of them would most likely like to cuddle with a stuffed toy and sleep through this mess. Which left her with the burden of coming up with a good distraction/lie something to cover up her slip of tongue. Because she had zero idea of what words Caroline and Bonnie exchanged around the time a police patrol car stopped to question them. Except that she was going to the Salem Historical Society with Damon. The reason Detective Jamison saw it fit to pester her about the phone call repeatedly was because apparently after putting the phone down she had stepped out and shot the police officer.

Elena wished to god she knew what had happened but she didn't and she did not feel like delving into why she thought Caroline could not have done that. Somehow the image did not seem altogether as unreliable as she wanted it to be. Lately everyone around her seemed to be going bonkers. Why should Caroline have been any different at this time while Katherine was busy terrorizing her life.  
If she could maybe want to kill someone right this minute it would definitely be Katherine.

'Look i told you all she said to me was where she was going, she did not mention the police patrol car or why she wanted to break into the Historical society...'

The detective slammed a muscled fist on the table, for a second there she thought he'd broken both table and fist but that was just wishful thinking...

'And you're saying you did not even feel the need to ask why? she was your friend right? wouldn't you want to know?'

'No Detective! i don't, 'know' i mean that's why i went after her'

**En route to Salem**

**11:00 pm**

Fear of the unknown usually drove people to seek refuge in ignorance, for Caroline it was the opposite right now, what she knew about herself, feared about herself she no longer had the luxury to hide from. She was reckless, clumsy fool who had got into a car with a known murderering psychopath. Believing this trip could lead to any kind of spiritual ephiphany was also a ludicurously hilarious thought she had the misfortune of stumbling over.

Maybe Damon had planted a suggestion in her mind while she was dismally drowning in alcohol two days ago. She doubted it, He was busy too drowning in it himself ...

She wished to be ignorant of all this idiocity she had displayed. But it was too late. Too late to go back and scream for help or put up a fight. Damon and threatening situations usually ended with dead bodies. She had been expecting it even prepared for it. but the idea of herself shooting someone point blank was ... well, foriegn to say the least.

She was a 'good shot', Damon told her while she worked on getting her numbed senses working again. Maybe it was shock she was suffering from. Whether it was from her call to Bonnie or the shooting it was hard to be sure.

She had scrambled to call Bonnie when Damon got out of the car to deal with the police officer that was asking for Damon to step outside. He left his cell phone at a close range. She watched the flashing blue and red lights in the rearview mirror as Damon got closer to the officer and they seemed to 'talk'.

She had swiped the phone with fear the size of her own heart. He told her to use 'it' and call her 'friends'. And had looked entirely serious saying it, sort of resigned really. Half heartedly intimidating as he gently slammed passenger seat door. Bonnie picked up right away as if she had been expecting Caroline's call. She had been reassuringly soft and understanding about Carolines blunder, Encouraging even. Everything you expect from a best friend. Everything she would not expect from Elena.

And then her tone took a different note, a darker tone. She was telling Caroline to do something that she knew would upset and shock allot of people most of all Elena. It sounded like a plan in which she would lead someone to get killed. What Bonnie was shying away from telling her was that it was also a plan which might lead to Caroline's own untimely and completely unneeded death.

Caroline had listened silently still watching the rear view mirror as Damon tried getting close to the patrol officer, the officer took a step back, his hand was resting on his gun...not half heartedly at all. She had to...diffuse the 'situation' that was unfolding.

'I have to go Bonnie...'

There was a desperation in Bonnie's voice as she had let Caroline relunctantly go...she could imagine the look on her face from here. It was the only look she had seen on Bonnie since her Grams had died. It was confusing ...all these expressions , all of her friends and enemies were so fond of displaying around her lately. A headache was crawling around in her mind trying to find its comfort zone.

She studied Damon's proximity to the officer and the hand that was slowly pulling out his gun and felt an annoyance creeping up inside her. It was a game. It was all a big game to all of them. She was like a piece of chess they kept shoving to the front and back when they felt it benefited them. Bonnie, Damon, Matt, Elena...All of them. She was sick of it. Sick of thier mind games.

Sick of Matt not admitting he had any feelings for her, of Bonnie using her friendly feelings to wield something dangerous out of her that would probably kill her, of Damon being a...vampire...and sick of Elena somehow being the center of all this. All these emotions and wild expressions that were on display were for Elena alone.

She felt like an invisible door handle everyone used once in a while to get to where they wanted and then forget that it existed and that without it they would have neven gotten the door open in the first place. Thinking of deep and conflicting analogies for her predicament werent her forte exactly but tonight everything seemed to be unravelling at an uncanny pace.

Matt was falling in love with Elena...again, Damon was losing his personality, Bonnie was losing her mind and by continuing this facscade Caroline would most probably lose her life.

Two shots had rang out, there had been a inhuman scream...Damon! She had ducked and cursed, in french, spanish and english the only languages she knew so far and walked out between both men.  
Damon was writhing on the ground in pain...he managed to bite out a painful 'Silver bullets!' before continuing the pain parade. the officer lay on his back, for a moment Caroline was afraid to look if he was already dead. But he wasn't 'Is that a real vampire?, did i get a live one?'

'Yes...' she said simply, the patrol car was still flashing red and blue in her face, it gave her a strange sense of security over her identity. Something was touching her foot, something cold and metal. it was the officer's gun, she made to bend down and get it for him, Damon was quiet behind her.

The blond officer with sparklingly clear baby blues sat up with a grateful smile, Caroline did not return the smile or the gun, she shot him instead in the shoulder. It was random the selection of shoulder, she thought of going for the knees to make sure he stayed down like in the movies but worried it might mean permanent damage. She wanted him to live and not be miserable. Like her? Maybe.

No, the shock was not from shooting the police officer who was probably new at his job niether was it from hearing Damon's dead pan 'Damn woman, you didn't say you shook pom poms for a living did you!' as a form of gratitude right after she had shot the officer down, it had been from knowing that she was stuck in this nightmare and however it played out the ending would be a bad one for her. Yes that was it was the acceptance of this fate that shocked her.

While Damon pulled the silver bullets from his torso cursing Salem and witches for some reason she could not pinpoint, Caroline sat perfectly still in the car, the officer was alive she had made sure but he was writhing in pain while she walked back to get into thier car.

He was mumbling about Salem and how damn superstitious the population was to have to pull out a gun with silver bullets on him when Caroline looked at his squarely in the eye.  
'Oh come on Caroline he's still alive snap out of it, we don't have time for emotional theatrics right now'

Carolione was in the drivers seat, she had control of the steering, Damon was injured and it would probably take him a while to recover, she should drive, it would give her something to do other than feeling like screaming like mad, Bonnie's words kept echoing in her conciousess. There was something very strange about it, Something was bothering her...she had to ask him.

'Damon...how did you find out about this place, i mean the historical society?'

Maybe he was letting his gaurd down because he was in pain, silver bullets are supposed to really hurt a vampire, disorient them, she read that somewhere...twilight? no, somewhere else. She could leave him here in the middle of nowehere let the officer finish the job? But he answered 'Bonnie let it slip, from her big book of spells and shit...i just got her to casually talk about it...'

Caroline blinked, There was a hidden story here that was painting an ugly picture she was starting to understand, she did not want to hear anymore and cut him off 'Damon! put your seat belt on okay? i'm driving'

He watched her silently, she wasn't sure what he was thinking but it did not look 'pleasant' at being told what to do by a former unwilling blood donor of his. 'You know i liked you better when you shook pom poms..' He was still watching her, he knew something was up with her.

Caroline slammed the accelerator in response.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: don;t own anything.

...

The problem with trust was that it tended to be in short supply when you needed it the most. No one more than Caroline knew this. She also knew trust and Damon seeing eye to eye would be another one of those improbable causes with him. A lost cause. In between slamming her foot repeatedly on the accelerator and hearing Damon curse in pain at no one in particular during the remaining drive to Salem didn't give her enough time to explain her reasons for wanting to get there so badly. And she did not trust him enough to let her live if he knew what Bonnie had told her.

The moment had magically promoted her to be in charge of things. It had put a psychologically binding trust on her to do the right thing. That's what Bonnie had said to her. 'Do the right thing Caroline…you're the only one I trust'

Damn. That Bonnie always knew how to twist her arm…or mind in this case.

She hated being the one in charge, this was no charity bake sale, it was a no good deed. Leading the villain into a setup was her least favorite role play and there was an invisible pressure pressing down on her like lead right now. Is this what it felt like to be Elena? She knew how silly it was to philosophize about Elena and her 'burdens' when Caroline was the one in real mortal peril, but the thoughts just came in waves. The fear, the loathing and the overwhelming desire to just blurt everything out to Damon just to see how he would react was temptingly familiar. Just like the time she had smashed into him at the bar and told him that he was a dangerously psychopathic murderer that needed to watch where the hell he was going. But this was hardly a public place where he would only smile at her pretending to be placating to a drunken idiot and just trip her to get back at her.

This was serious business. Damon was after something dangerous, Bonnie was after something much more dangerous too, lives were hanging in the balance, they could die…well, she could die. And there was no drink in sight that was going to shimmer away the reality of that. And yet, still she drove on, In hopes of salvaging the night.

Dramatic and pointless she knew. But then again she had just thrown away a bunch of twilight novels, it was hard to think in factual terms and get over it all so soon.

...

The moment of silence stretched to an awkward end, when Caroline met Damon's softly amused gaze, they were both standing over the entrance of a sewer tunnel leading directly into the historical society. The tiny pitter patter of paws and many soft tell tale squeaks of rats somewhere nearby turned her stomach. She felt queasy with fear of the dark and it's rodent companions.

Why was she doing this to herself again? Oh right, Bonnie. She made to tentatively put her best foot forward, something lumpy and furry slithered over her shoes; she nearly jumped out of her skin, a tiny scream that had tried to make its way out of her throat and had met with little success. Damon's stone cold hand slammed flat on her mouth before she could try again.

No noise, he signaled, there would be security upstairs. They shouldn't expect the one obvious entrance into the Historical society to be unguarded in one way or the other. That or he was just taking this way too seriously. Caroline followed him trying to mimic the trajectory of his footsteps in the almost pitch dark…more like his flashlight. Something squibbled their way and she satisfyingly noticed a bounce of Damon's flashlight, she felt it's only fair to mutter a short 'you're such a girl Damon…'

Expecting him to drink it in with a grain of salt was in hindsight asking too much 'Don't get cute with me…there aren't any police patrol cars around that are going to save you…' His voice was slightly louder it echoed around her annoyingly. Cool as he thought he was, Caroline let the cover of darkness hide her smug smile when she taunted back a challenging 'Yea Damon…but there's security upstairs right? No noise remember?' She walked around him to take the lead. He at least seemed to seethe in silence behind her heeding her warning.

Silence followed her footsteps.

Intuition was not something everyone had. Unfortunately she felt it was something she possessed at certain times, a spidey sense that told her she was heading for a troublesome interrogation with her kidnapper as she tried walk quickly to put more distance between them. Not that distance was a debilitating factor for him, he could catch up if he wanted to …he was just holding back…like the rest of the night.

The question when it came was a surprise…she expected him to ask her why shot the patrol officer but instead he stopped a fair distance away 'So, why are you here with me…we all know it's not because I compelled you… that didn't really work did it?' She waited to face him.

He sounded pouty, because he didn't get to use his snazzy vampire prowess to convince her into a life of crime?

Probably.

It would be simpler to just admit defeat and throw herself at his mercy, but tonight she didn't quite feel as frightened of him as the rats squirming and scrambling to get away from both of them. She'd had a shot of courage after all. The willing blood violence she had committed made her feel not completely as helpless as she had imagined herself while they were dating. She could fight for her life if necessary because the gun was still with her.

It felt like anything was possible. She turned around blinded by the only source of light and tried the close to truth but not quite approach. 'I told you before Damon, you turn eviler than usual with that artifact thingy..i'll kill you…'

The flash light clicked off, he was nearer now, Caroline tensed expecting a blow to the head or nails digging into her shoulders, it never came but the air charged with the promise of it, and his breath cooled her ear lobes 'And what, pray tell makes you think you can stop me hmmm?...'

She tried to look where she thought his eyes might be, she couldn't see her hands if she tried 'I don't think I can, but I'd be damned if I don't try to kick your ass every chance I get…'

A moment of stoney silence and she braced herself again, maybe she had sounded too damn emotional about the whole thing and given it away.

She jumped when he guffawed into full a fledged laugh, it wasn't the amused laughing at her expense type laughter, it was more hearty like she had just been very endearing. He slung an arm around her gently trying to steady himself, Caroline wrapped her arms tightly around herself almost shuddering with relief, she was not going to be knocked flat on her ass in the sewers with the various creepy crawlies slithering around in case he changed his mind.

'That's the spirit!…I have missed you, you know?' he told her quietly, in his intimately playful not threatening or angry tone, just purely melancholic. She pulled away from his almost embrace more unkindly than she had wanted, and he stopped smiling just like that 'What's wrong with you?' he hadn't touched her but she shrank away anyway, out of habit.

Another 'squeak' close by later, she sighed. Damon was still watching her intently.

'Gee I don't know Damon, maybe it's that I'm not used to you not being totally homicidal around me and I don't really shoot members of law enforcement that often and make a run for it…now were standing here in this pitch black tunnel without any lights, with rats and crap running all over us …and I'm just kind of freaking out over here!'

He switched the flashlight back on right in her face, both temporarily and purposely blinding her vision, she lost her footing when she felt a sharp tug on her arm as he propelled her forward into the dark 'Stop being such a girl…' He taunted, smiling thoroughly please with himself and this time Caroline pouted, rushing to keep up with him.

...

Elena groaned, her shoulders were tired of shrugging, she was tired of shrugging, and the detective's were tired of her shrugging at all of their questions. Well, she had answered most questions, edited to the best of her abilities. The answers just hadn't stuck as well as they sounded to herself in her mind.

Detective Jamison droned on in his dull monotonous tone about court hearings and jail sentences because of her being more involved in the 'crime' the she was letting on. True, but not something she would consider willingly letting them on to. What was taking Stefan so damn long to come and rescue her. One knock on the door and she could exhale with relief.

Detective Jamison stood up decisively, he looked a t his partner, there was a secret nod in their eyes. A possible agreement of terms over her fate she imagined. They noticed her watching them and thought this might be the part when she should at least try to make a run for it. There was a knock, Elena tensed as the detectives pinned their gazes at the door in unison.

Forget relief, just one knock and all hell could break lose.

...

Caroline figured it out …there was a method to his madness. It wasn't random. The crazy looks he whipped at her when she made a reasonable suggestion or squeak at the sight of a furry apparition were calculated, every frown, eye roll and widening of eyes dramatically served a careful purpose. He frowned when he wasn't really listening to her, rolled his eyes when he didn't think her questions deserved a dignified answer and widened his eyes dramatically when he felt she was over doing it as a warning of violence to come.

She shrugged at all of it and tried to keep up. The tunnel stretched longer and longer in her mind's eye. The only light being Damon's stupid flash light which he kept flashing in her face for 'fun' she wondered when the hell it would end, the smell didn't exactly help clear the stink of her mood.

She asked him why or who he was doing this for, he didn't exactly scream 'commitment', unless it was commitment to revenge, she could understand his motives, but he never answered her, never hinted to the root of his cause. Which is why she felt all this 'mad' phase he was going through was overrated, there was definitely a method and a purpose to all his unraveling. Maybe what Bonnie said was not true? Or maybe it the fear of falling face first into the disgusting water already ruining her shoes that was making her have second thoughts about all of this. She couldn't decide, couldn't decide who to resent or make sense of more right now, her best friend Bonnie or her almost killer, Damon Salvatore.

Somehow she doubted either one would let her off the hook if they suspected her wavering from their perceived intentions for her of which she felt still unaware of.

Her objectives were overshadowed by his motives. Caroline needed a crystal ball to clear her head and start the whole tape again from the beginning. They were almost towards the finishing line and she didn't have a clue as to how it was all supposed to go down. When was Bonnie going to come? Was Elena with her? Did she know about 'the plan'.

She doubted Elena knew anything other than her own watery variety of issues that kept her from being even remotely interested in anything Caroline had to offer as a friend. She felt strangely burdened by a black cloud of anger and resentment towards all her friends, this was not like her. She'd been lately feeing and doing allot of things that didn't spell Caroline.

Like agreeing to embark on an obsessive crusade with an unstable witch friend who's lost a family member that meant so much to her that she was willing to use Caroline as bait, Elena as an audience and the patrol officer as collateral damage to lead Damon to an execution he has probably earned by now, if Bonnie had played all the right cards. And had Caroline been drunk when she agreed to be used? Or just momentarily insane?

Probably both. She always knew a cross between booze and her life's issues would breed a monster. She had been too mad with Matt for not being …'her's completely', Too mad at Elena for ruining this for her without even making an effort to, Too mad at Damon for being an arrogant, violent jerk that made her a self depreciating, weak link in the eyes of all her friends.

No wonder Elena didn't trust her with all her secrets. But Bonnie had. She had made sure Caroline knew all secrets Elena harbored, made sure she had fed her just enough truth to push her slightly over the edge like she was, a little bit obsessed, a little sad and so very angry. Caroline had believed Damon's existence was the hurdle in her life that was putting a damper on her future goals. Bonnie's words had been comforting at the time. Like the voice of reason. She could still see herself nodding her tear stained face rapidly at Bonnie's idea of giving Damon what he deserved.

To create an elaborate façade of kidnapping and coercion, which would ensure his sure death, without anyone pointing fingers in their direction. They weren't the bad guys after all.

When Damon's exasperated 'We're here' echoed around her for the fifth time in full finality, it hit her…that her life was flashing before her eyes. It was too late to consider wavering, this seriously. Twilight be damned she was going to win this one way or another, Where ever Elena was she better damn well be sorry.

...

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews, do keep them coming, I enjoy opening my email and seeing an encouraging review waiting for me.

Sohodoll: yes thankyou so much you are right the punctuation and cohesion of some para's are bother me as well, I'll work on them as soon as I finish the story. Am glad that you are still enjoying it.

Vampbarbie: I am definitely going to finish this, just one more chapter to go.

And everyone else who reviewed thank you so much again you all made my day!


	5. Chapter 5

**Caroline**

They were directly under the Salem Historical Society now, Damon jumped up and made an entrance for both of them above, when Caroline started thinking of an alternate plan to what she had agreed with Bonnie. It's not like Bonnie had been completely truthful, she didn't tell Caroline that she was the one who nudged Damon in the direction of the historical society.

But then again what did she expect when Bonnie talked about constructing a lie to get Damon killed? She had gone along with the plan so far, shooting the patrol officer, getting herself to Salem, making sure Damon was unharmed ...mostly. For now.

Possibly the correct definition for what she was feeling spelled 'cold feet'. Her stomach was in tight knots, cold sweat at her back made her shiver with regret, there was meant to be a distraction of paramount importance that would give her time to find the 'shroud of power' before Damon got his hands on it so that Bonnie and Elena could make it in time for the fireworks.

When they were finally above ground in a storage room in the Historical Society the feel of perpetual gloom she had felt in the tunnel eased a little bit, Damon smiled a proud smile at them having gotten so far all by themselves. He had no idea. She felt an odd mixture of pleasure and annoyance that she had actually been that good at deceiving him so far. He didn't suspect her in any way of plotting his demise.

She hoped to find the shroud and hide with it till she could find Bonnie alone and talk to her about...about what? Reconsidering before intentionally murdering Damon? She wasn't quite sure yet, it's not like his smug smile didn't make her knuckles tighten in anger anymore. She was still angry at his treatment of her, it was far from forgivable, but could she commit to actually be the one driving the stake through his heart? She wasn't quite as sure about it as she had been while in Bonnie's presence a week ago.

Too bad she couldn't ask him for a second opinion, he would have had a thoroughly sarcastic go at her for her melodramatic approach to all of it. Come on Caroline focus! Damon was staring at her strangely again, he knew something was off with her, she doubted if he could really guess right now, she probably wouldn't be standing alive and well enough to actually have these thoughts running through her head then would she?

Caroline shuddered.

There was a slight caress on her hand and then his hand travelled higher and encircled her arm. She swallowed down her fear slightly before opening her chapped lips 'Damon...' She wasn't a hundred percent sure what she was protesting to yet.

He shushed her anyway.

Something 'chinked' outside the storage room, a faint murmur of voices and footsteps made them both pause...it went in slow motion like in the movies, She looked at Damon's carefully steady shake of head like a good little side kick, held his gaze perfectly still and opened the door anyway.

And all hell broke loose.

The minute punches started flying, Caroline charged through the mob of men attacking Damon to get out of their way. They had a point, with their stakes and unruly looks, and since her quota for general violence was pretty much over for the day, she had decided to make a run for it. It felt unreal that this was the distraction Bonnie had meant for her to encounter.

How did Bonnie manage all of this, it wasn't exactly 'small potatoes' as she had put it to Caroline before.

Those men meant serious business. She sincerely hoped they killed him before he killed her.

**

* * *

****Elena**

The haze of the maze wasn't any less intimidating, The historical society of Salem was one such place where one tended to get lost easily without any required effort, it was huge, even by the standards of this small town, Elena wanted to remain in wonderment of all its awe, instead of having to break into it. But sadly her life was one big sneak session after the other.

Because this is what they were here for wasn't it?

To get Caroline and Damon and haul their unbelievably immature asses back to Mystic Falls.

Bonnie did some magic with the gates of the Historical society to get them in. The gates locked shut as soon as they shuffled inside like the pair of juvenile delinquents they were pretending to be in case they got caught.

'Back up plan', Bonnie had said. Elena agreed partly in exasperation and partly because her legs were tired of the 2 hour drive to Salem they had done non-stop. She felt grateful for Bonnie's intervention. It was comforting that she was no longer resenting Elena for her alliances with the creatures of night.

Maybe she was finally starting to get over her Gran's death. She thought of asking but stopped, for once the mutual delirium between them had felt soothing during the ride. No complaints, no resentments & no general feelings of abandonment. The last thing she wanted to do was remind Bonnie why she shouldn't be here helping them at all.

She wasn't quite sure why Bonnie was so determined to help, Not that the idea of Damon burgling the Historical Society for an ancient artefact that could grant him unlimited power over possibly the entire world, didn't bother her enough but Bonnie seemed to be taking a far too personal interest.

She didn't want to worry about Bonnie right now, so she didn't. There wasn't enough time to sit down and interpret the faraway looks of sudden, almost triumph that crossed her friend's mostly sullen face. She could not being herself to admit it, but it did worry her quite a bit. This just wasn't the time for it. The air felt thick with violence. Elena had been around too many similarly eerily silences. Either violence was coming or it had already come and gone. She could almost smell the blood is the distance.

Only question remained...whose?

* * *

Caroline

Caroline's groan of frustration echoed in the large expanse of halls she rushed through, Bonnie had shown her blue prints of the place before, she knew in the drawings where the 'Shroud' was meant to be resting, she had studied the blue prints feverishly, but now that she was appreciating the real time version of the giant museum it was all too intimidating, she was meant to go the archives section which led to a storage room which held the Historical Society's newly acquired 'shroud of power', but the signs into the several sections were confusing, they were numbered and she was sure there was a map that told her which numbers led to where.

The Map was with ...Damon. And the storage room was probably locked solid. She cursed a bit too loudly and ducked behind an empty reception desk when beams of flashlights swiped over her.

She forgot about security that Damon was worried about. The flashlights did a few more crazed zig zags overhead and then disappeared, 'Small potatoes my ass...' Bonnie was so going to pay for all this, that is if she ever got out alive.

There was a harsh echo of her name careening down the hall outside...Damon.

Oh, she was so dead.

**

* * *

**

**Elena**

Elena was mostly tuned out to Bonnie's gentle muttering's about the numbered sequence on the wall plaques which would lead them to where Caroline and Damon were heading, she had created a light trail on the shiny marbled floors using one of her spells, While she herself was busy thinking about Damon and his incessant need to be the centre of all immature activity where rational thought and behaviour were concerned, She could already see his dramatic eye widening on her lecture about the dangers of this indecent exposition they all were facing because of him. It wasn't that she was irritated, that would come later as a well timed headache when Stefan would sit across and soothingly rub her shoulders in assurance of 'nothing else could possibly go wrong after this'. She was just tired, hence the yawning was forgivable.

She wasn't even sure why she was here, asked Bonnie to remind her and got a pointedly pained look. Oh yes, Caroline. She hadn't exactly put much thought into her friend's endangerment on the way here. Her concern was centred more around Damon's state of mind. He was more unreadable then usual and he was ignoring her ...well, allot.

Sometimes his eyes read intensely hot and at times relatively cold with her.

She couldn't make out whether it was because of Katherine's untimely arrival and betrayal that her appearance was affecting him more than usual, as if he could hardly stand the sight of her and yet at the same time he made a hundred excuses to be close to her at odd times when she didn't need it, drift a watchful eye over her form letting her know he was still here. And not leaving.

The frustration over his indecisiveness to deal with her made her question her own mindset. Lesser attention from Damon should automatically make her feel better. But it didn't. It made her more curious. It drew her in further like a moth to flame.

And that was the problem; it was why she was here. To know, why she needed his 'attention' even though she knew her feelings were for him were mostly subject to infinite irritation. The flimsy thread of their semi- friendship was only the only lie she had since accepted. It didn't mean she was comfortable, that there wasn't a palpable threat of him dragging her into a relationship kicking and screaming. That he wouldn't hurt her, she imagined there was always room for emotional hurt with him. Like she was hurt now, irrationally upset that he dragged Caroline into this and not ...her. Hey, Irrationality could be contagious.

Thank god Bonnie couldn't read minds, or she could be in wicked trouble right now. And Stefan, what would Stefan think if he knew about all these thoughts burning through her brain cells that should be reserved only for him. Her face coloured with involuntary shame over the thought of whatever her thoughts about Damon meant. It felt like cheating.

That minute Bonnie snapped back to look at Elena coldly gripping her arm in a wise like grip. She tensed, had Bonnie read her?, did her friend already know?, she gulped 'Bonnie...what's wrong?'

Elena searched Bonnie's eyes, they read determination and fear, and something else she couldn't decipher right then, there was a strangely sad half smile on her face that read allot of other things they probably didn't have time to think, her grip on Elena's arm loosened 'I see allot death tonight...just be prepared to do the right thing, ok?' Something about the grim tone of her voice made Elena's heart plummet slowly; she looked at her friend in bewilderment and only managed a gasp, Who was dead? And who had killed them?

She didn't get a chance to ask, a security guard covered in blood started firing at them. They both ducked.

**

* * *

**

**Caroline**

He was dragging her now, with an arm around her waist and her heels uselessly trying to dig into the squeaky marble floor to stop him from dragging her backwards, it wasn't much effort for him, and Caroline had stopped struggling after they had passed a hall with the by- products of his fight with the people who had charged them earlier.

Poor bastards hadn't really had a chance.

It looked like a bizarre art of random Body parts in the corridors. Their stakes lay forlornly by their sides, glassy eyes looking for some kind of retribution. She gulped and asked him yet another time why he still needed her, he wasn't exactly Indiana Jones, and she didn't fancy much having her limbs torn off for fun.

'That's cute, but yes, i do need you Caroline...more than you know, you're what's going to get me the Shroud'

She convulsed in her momentary fugue state and tried digging her heels again in reflex, there was meant to be a seal over the shroud which the undead could not break unless they made a blood sacrifice or bloodletting if you will, he explained as they whirred past halls with nameless, mysterious artefacts , some showcases had shattered, bullets littered the floor. Security lay bleeding to death at their feet while they continued on their way without a second glance. Damon stopped to glance at the map.

'Why don't you take one of them, there's enough blood lying around, let me go Damon!, i didn't agree to die!' It was a last ditch desperate attempt to get him to slow down, and not necessarily a sensible one.

There was a superficial cackle at her expense, and then...

Bam! He threw her against a solid wall, his eyes burned into her like a flash of general hatred mixed with some minute recognition. He kissed her, it tasted a tad metallic, like blood, she gagged, he held her face in his hands and gently tipped her face to his, while he whispered in her ear 'The blood sacrifice needs to be a founding family member's, Caroline...' She was a founding family member, shit; she knew there was something she had been missing with Bonnie, and with Damon on the way here.

'You son of a ...' There was a warning in his eyes which Caroline chose to ignore. She finished the curse, he slammed her head against the wall again and it all went blank for her.

Again.

How did she get roped into this madness? Oh yeah, Bonnie. That total Witch.

* * *

Elena

The security guard screamed in pain just as Elena went to duck for cover, he'd managed to shoot her trajectory till now, Bonnie stood steady, concentrating with closed eyes. The guard crumpled in at her feet. She grabbed the gun from him while he writhed in pain. Elena was still crouched in stunned silence. This was the first time Bonnie used her mind melting powers on a human being.

It felt curiously...wrong. If that's a word she could use to describe what she felt. She opened her mouth involuntarily to let Bonnie know what she thought about this, but Bonnie seemed to sense already what was on her mind and stopped her 'Not a word Elena...Don't say anything, not now, we have to go before he kills her'

Elena followed silently, this was not going to end well, she realized bringing Bonnie might have been a mistake after all, but since she was going to leave all the worrying for later her limbs managed to co-operate in the meantime.

**

* * *

**

**Caroline**

There was no mistaking the horrid headache when she woke up was because of the giant pain sized ball at the back of her head. There was a throbbing sensation when she blearily came to and then quickly descended into feeling as though her head had split open**.**

'Oww...' Caroline tried to rub the back of her head and almost screamed with pain, stupid, stupid mistake. And of course Damon who was standing over her in his 'i've got you now, moustache twirling' capacity, looked completely nonchalant about the whole thing.

'Can I stake you now?' A rhetorical question, obviously, which he didn't answer by throwing a hissy fit, instead he just silently glowered at her form. As much as she liked to lie on the cold floor and enjoy its healing properties, she knew this was probably her queue to get up and be a 'woman' about this sacrifice deal he had going.

Bonnie was late, nobody was going to save her. The thought of abandonment by her only friend was spreading like an angry virus over her, she warmed with anger of the betrayal. This was not what she had signed up for was it? Had she been too drunk then or had Bonnie made the magical possibility of things going their way too magical. She opted for the latter. Right now imagining Damon tear her friend limb from limb didn't disgust her as much as she thought it would. Strange, that resentment in her was growing in gigantic waves and toppling over in a nasty trickle of the many horrible ways of torturing a friend.

Who, lied to Caroline.

Damon turned away and walked towards something in the middle of the dark room, he was talking, she probably needed to pay attention, in case an opportunity to bolt arose, 'We found it Caroline...' He walked around a dark square; Oh, They were in the storage room where new acquisitions of the museum were kept.

Which meant they had found the shroud of power, great.

The shroud was in a lead rectangle box with a glass square on the top, there was something strange about the air around it, something evil? She subconsciously neared it, Damon was still, like was thinking or talking to someone in his head, again.

'Why don't you just break the glass and pull it out?' she supplied helpfully, he looked at her with largely irritated eyes 'why don't i just break the glass? Oh yes Caroline, why didn't I think of that?...that school of yours is really paying off you know?' He shoved her aside roughly; she grunted another curse in his direction. He ignored her and traced his fingers around the glass of the box, slightly mesmerized and then punched it.

It didn't shatter exactly but Damon shot across the room like a thousand volt of electricity had coursed through him, she wanted to laugh but her head might have exploded then, she only settled for a smirk.

So, the glass was not just a glass, it had wobbled like jelly when he punched it.

'What are the odds that it might be sealed by some magic huh?' Rhetorical, but not necessarily something you'd want to point out to an over confident vampire who just got plastered to a wall, Damon only charged at her in response, 'Come here...' she tried not to cower, it didn't work.

When was she going to learn to keep her mouth shut? Probably never now, because Damon pulled out a shiny dagger, silver? Eeeeek!, And cut his own wrist, he cursed softly as the flesh gave with a slight zing and the smell of burning filled the room, Caroline tried to turn away but he managed to secure an iron grip on her wrist, she knew she wouldn't like where this was going.

She tried to fight the grip, he didn't give, and she didn't really expect him to let her go.

'Don't...' was all that managed to escape her lips before he said a genuine 'Sorry...' and without hesitation slashed a deep cut on her wrist as well, it hurt...like hell, she cried out and went to fall on her knees, fat chance... Damon dragged her across the floor in a circle around the damn box.

Both of their wrists bled out in a circle around it. The weird energy around the box intensified, Caroline tried to stop him from dragging her, she couldn't. Why did it come as a surprise? The throbbing in her head seemed to have a life of its own, it increased as they continued around the box in a bizarre one sided tango.

The box wasn't just taking her blood as sacrifice it seemed, it was also draining the life's energy from her. Her legs started getting cold, her arms gave out and she felt the will to fight quickly fading out. The ground started to shake and vibrate when dark spots were dancing in front of her eyes.

Was the world ending too? Dramatic or not she was dying. There wasn't even enough energy for another curse.

* * *

Elena

They were almost 'there' Bonnie kept telling her. She had a grip on Elena's arm after she had found herself unable to move when they passed through a corridor littered with miscellaneous body parts. The floor and walls were sticky with tissue and blood. She controlled the urge to gag, blood and gore were becoming too much of a part and parcel of her life lately, maybe it was all desensitizing her, she averted her gaze much too easily.

Who were they? And where had they come from? Did Damon do all this? So many questions and not one live soul to answer those questions. Bonnie looked more horrified then she felt, she swiped a blood spattered stake that lay still clutched in a hand connected only to an arm torn off, by her foot. These people whoever they were, had come with stakes. They had meant to kill a vampire, unsuccessfully so.

Bonnie, seemed unconcerned with all of this business with stakes and urged Elena to 'quit stalling' and follow her. She wanted to turn and runaway, the scene was too grisly and yet she found herself unable to look away. Is this the mindset Damon was in? Disappointment rang a close second to a renewed fear of ...for him.

She tightened her grip on the stake when they came to the end of a long corridor, the trail light ended outside a heavy door. Bonnie was about to use her magic to open it when they both got knocked on the floor, like an earthquake had happened? It was like some uncontained energy that spread and shook the historical society building, alarms went off, glasses shattered and displays got knocked down.

The tremors slowed after what felt like a long time. Bonnie tried to sense the problem and stop it, strong mystical energy had imploded and interfered with the natural disaster mechanics of the world or at least Salem. Strong witch or not Bonnie was not strong enough to stop a raging earthquake with the power of her mind. Her eyes went a scary white for a minute, a trickle of blood leaked from her nose and ears, she collapsed on the floor. Elena shaking, only managed to pull Bonnie closer and feel a steady pulse under her fingers tips, until the tremors suddenly stopped.

There was a mad ringing in her ears, she could hardly even shudder with relief. Was it over? Bonnie was cold in her arms.

The heavy door they had found together started to open slowly, Elena tensed trying to harden her grip on Bonnie, she whispered urgently for her to wake up to no avail, Bonnie was out for good. She couldn't even move her, they were both going to die if something terrible came through that door...She almost shielded her eyes, almost, but still looked up...

Damon!

He looked shaken, stirred and like he had a brawl and tore a few limbs off people. His eyes were glowing a strange hazel colour, startling change from piercing blue ones. She opened her mouth to say something...

He beat her to it 'You're here...Elena, it's not what it looks like...'

Doesn't it look like it? Like he caused worldwide havoc and went on mass murdering rampage? There was something in his arms, he was holding it like you would a baby, it looked hard for him to talk, he was struggling, was this what he had come for?

'Damon...please don't do this, this isn't you...' Well, it was exactly like him, maybe that's why the silence stretched for longer than necessary.

He kneeled before her and likewise checked Bonnie for a pulse, Elena had a urge to pry his fingers off of her but the earthquake had done a number on her head, the view of the world wasn't quite as still yet. He took her hand, gently, intimately and rubbed it 'You need to get Caroline, I'll take the witch, we don't have allot of time Elena...move!' His eyes alternated from blue to hazel and back. He struggled again to move away, like he was considering eating her or something.

Her mind hovered in bewilderment, she didn't understand, what was going on? 'But why, isn't it over? Don't you have what you need?'

He moved away from her a fraction, something was fighting to take control over his body and Elena got the feeling she should be ready to make a run for it, but her legs felt wobbly as she felt him pull Bonnie into his arms, she was still unconscious. Elena felt like she should fight to get her friend back but somehow the vibe wasn't right.

Something was wrong over here, was Damon evil or not? Not the eternal question, the right here, right now kind of question. 'Let Bonnie go Damon...don't hurt her, you've already caused allot of damage' Bonnie had relinquished the gun she was holding, Elena held it face level to Damon, she wasn't sure of what was going on, but if she had to she would shoot.

He smiled a distorted smile 'Yeah i have haven't i? But right now you need to listen to me get Caroline out of there, any minute this entire place is going to be swarming with police ok? And Katherine will probably be here before them, i need to take care of this before that...' He was talking about the shroud. Take care of it? Katherine was coming?

'You and Katherine?' it was a dumb question, why she asked she wasn't even sure, he stared at her steadily, as if she was testing his patient, He walked to her, held her gaze as if he were sorry, the sincerity of the expression surprised her 'Elena...this shroud is something that gives a vampire ultimate power to take over the world, it also induces madness okay?, I'm trying to get rid of it before Katherine can get her hands on it, she sent those men whose arms and legs you saw to kill whoever got in the way, now you with me? Or do you want this shroud in the hands of a psycho bitch?'

Elena felt slack jawed, she had nothing to say, it wasn't what she expected, she wasn't even sure if it made her feel better or not but if he was telling her the truth then the shroud needed to be taken care of first. 'What are you going to do with it?'

The first sounds of sirens blared outside, they both tensed, it was time to haul ass, she had to take a leap of faith or something, it's not like she could fight him even if he was lying, his eyes changed to hazel again and he snarled at her ' I'm going to burn it, Now get moving!'

He disappeared in a few blink of her eyes, she wanted to follow him and make sure Bonnie was okay but Caroline was still somewhere and she needed to get her before Katherine got here.

If it was true.

Elena held on to the gun like an invisible shield to cover up her fear. Emergency lights seemed to have come on everywhere, sprinklers were on, she was soaked cold and the door to the storage room, Damon had come out of stood wide open, smoke seemed to be floating around, and she squinted then to clear her vision and see a prone form lying on the floor of the room...Caroline!

She was pale, like a ghost, her wrist looked slightly bruised, there was allot of bright red blood in a circle around a rectangle box and some pooled around Caroline, Damon must of given her his blood to heal some of the damage?, Caroline lay on her side, Elena's hands shook as she let go of the gun she was holding and tried to find a pulse on her friend's neck...the sequence of actions felt too slow motioned in her head.

'Caroline?...can you hear me?, we have to go...' No response.

She heard too late but someone was telling her to put her hands up and step away from Caroline.

It was all too bloody late.

* * *

**Salem Memorial hospital**

White walls were the first thing she saw.

Contrary to the belief, hospital drugs don't really make you giggle like mad or say funny things. When Caroline first came to, she had wanted to say something dumb out loud like 'is this heaven?' but she couldn't, her entire head throbbed like the vibration of a boom box at maximum volume, her lips were cracked and the rest of her body felt like it had been literally beaten. It hurt to open her eyes or sit up, everything was so stiff she was sure if she tried to move an arm it would sound like a pencil breaking.

Someone moved out of the corner of her eye, Caroline tried to get up a bit too quickly and bit her lip to mask the pain, A strong hand came to rest on her shoulder pushing her back down and asked her to relax, well the voice of a man did.

A voice she recognised.

'Hey, Caroline...How are you feeling now?'

Alaric. She almost sagged with relief or disappointment, or both. 'I'm still alive..?' She grimaced with pain and he seemed to choose not to answer her. Which was fine with her, she just needed to get that out of her system.

'So...pretty crazy night huh?'

Caroline smiled, a small humourless smile at the teacher, he really wasn't the small talk type, or maybe it was just an awkward moment, after all what do you say to someone who almost got killed trying to aid a vampire in stealing a potential weapon of destruction 'Yea well, at least I'm not missing an arm, leg or fingers...I'm good'

He didn't appear as amused as she felt, the guys who got their limbs torn off would probably not find it funny either, she grew serious again 'What's happening now...Is the world ending yet?, Damon got his shroud thingy right?'

He shifted from his position and came closer 'Uh, no Caroline, everything has been taken care of, mostly. Damon destroyed the shroud, and Stefan took care of the bodies in the Historical society, Even destroyed the security footage there's just one thing...Elena's still held up at the police station, she's the only one who got caught in the Historical Society with you, so they think she knows something about what went down...'

'Hold it, why did he destroy it, I thought he wanted to use it?' Even as she asked the question the answer itself jolted her mind, of all the times she had tuned out of Damon's rants, she had heard the few selective ones about Katherine and her upper hand on everything and quickly gotten bored of them after the first ten times, there was a reason he had been telling her all this.

He had been telling her all along why he wanted to destroy anything and everything Katherine coveted like the shroud of power, mar her triumphs and get an upper hand on her. He destroyed it to keep Katherine from winning at whatever game she was playing, she lay there in silence, processing all the repressed information. Alaric possibly answered her question as well, she never heard him, she was too stunned by the revelation. So much so that she felt a certain urgency to ask Alaric something even more important.

'What about Bonnie?...'

'Bonnie's okay, the magic she used drained her...Damon took her out of there, she'll be fine.'

Caroline got up ignoring Alaric's protests, there was an Iv attached to her which she pulled out unhesitating, she figured with all the pain she was already feeling it would hardly sting. But it did, it was very real time, if you could call it that. She cursed loudly and asked Alaric to help her up 'What are you doing?...'

'Leaving...Come on, let's get Elena, Now is a good time to brush up on your acting skills, we'll need it'

Alaric didn't answer; he wasn't sure what she meant at all.

**

* * *

**

**Back in Salem Police Dept.**

**5:00 am **

Elena choose to remain in brooding silence for rest of her sentence in the 'interrogation room', she had found and counted virtually every crack, every imperfection in the room at least fifty times. Her stamina for the good cop bad cop routine they had going for her was up.

There were no more questions which they could ask that she hadn't tried to evade or answer with some small semblance of credibility. Half- truths which they could hand pick. She was tempted to tell them to charge her already and lock her up just so she could get out of the harsh glare of the over head light.

When the 10 minute starting contest between Detective Jamison and Elena had come to a draw because

of a knock at the door, Elena saw a chance to stretch her legs, While the detective saw to it, the door was more than slightly ajar, 'Her lawyer's here...'

Elena almost fell out of the chair when he opened the door wide and Alaric Saltzman came into view along with Stefan.

'It looks like you're free to go Ms. Gilbert, you're lawyer can escort you just beware the next time you decide to go joy riding it isn't unauthorised breaking into a public facility'

* * *

It was dawn when she stood outside the Police station and waiting for the 'others'. The sudden appearance of one significant 'other' alarmed her, but she remained perfectly calm.

'Damon...' He looked uncomfortable, like he wanted to turn around and go back to wherever he was before she came in view. He looked clean, fresh and not at all like he raged through a museum dragging her around a mystical object and spraying her blood.

'Surprised to see me?...i made sure your okay...' Caroline straightened from the wall she was leaning against steadily even as her body screamed in pain, Yes, Damon Salvatore still possessed the audacity to look her in face and say that. It wasn't shocking anymore, partly because the muscle relaxant drugs the hospital gave her were still in work and partly because she had all she can of everyone tonight, her emotions mostly read numb.

'Just surprised that taking over the world isn't your thing...thought you were made for it or something' He came and lounged against the wall next to her nonchalantly and didn't smile and she didn't either. They were not friends and after this never would be. The humourless laugh every now and then could be practiced and exchanged with calculated precision maybe but that's as far she would take it.

That trademark eye roll of sarcasm came on 'No Caroline...Everybody wants to rule the world, its bo-oring...I'm more, the breaking spirit's type of guy, you know? That kind of work... It takes a really special kind of dedication and commitment which i like to believe only I'm capable of... makes me unique don't you think?'

She sighed, she was tired and bored of this crap, which is why she got right to the point with a remarkably blank face 'Look, I get what you did with the shroud ...and trying to stop Katherine and that's... good for everyone I guess..', She dropped her voice an octave unintentionally, he came closer '..But you ever use me as any kind of sacrifice or ritual bait again in any one of your revenge plots, I'll set you on fire and drive a stake through your selfish little heart myself, you got that?'

Silence between them had never been this deafening before, Caroline almost smiled.

He balked at her for a moment and then a crooked smile spread over her dishevelled features, whatever he had expected to hear, she had surprised him thoroughly, he tried to cover it up with a cheap come back which she expected 'Are you trying to turn me on?'

Caroline nudged away from the wall she was leaning against and started to walk away from Damon, he didn't follow 'Stay away from me...' We're the only last words of advice she felt like sparing, since winning a verbal fight with him was probably impossible, Which is why she ignored him when he continued with the bait 'Caroline?..' She stopped but didn't turn to face him, because her spine already felt chilled by his eyes '...We'll see...' He said. It was a dangerous promise to give, for him or her only time would tell. She hoped it wasn't the latter for her own sake.

She was also well aware that she had left out Bonnie's murderous part of plan out of the conversation and her own involvement in it, there was no need for more bloodshed. She had learnt her lesson. Never get drunk with unstable vampire or witches, it led to no darn good. Crazy antics like torn limbs and ritual sacrifices ensued.

Bonnie had stopped her outside the station, insisting on 'explaining what went wrong...' Caroline had no intention of listening and told her coldly to go home and get some professional help because 'it couldn't be good if avenging your Gran's death meant killing off your own best friends'. Selfishness just couldn't be worth that, she hoped for Bonnie's sake. Because Caroline had been more than a good friend to her since Elena started hanging out with the blood issues gang and had always hoped to at least get an informal notice about herself being the main event in a ritual sacrifice. Her friend stammered pointless apologies which she felt in no mood to accept, she only reassured Bonnie that she would indeed not tell Elena about how Bonnie had staged this whole thing to get Damon killed, or anyone else for that matter. Possibly because she lacked any and all energy. It took enough effort as it was to stand.

The promise of another dangerous liaison wasn't enough to terrify her, she walked away calmly from friend and enemy and found Stefan Salvatore leaning against his car in the parking lot of the police station, he had been watching the exchange between her and Damon, his expression remain comfortingly unchanged, no doubt he had heard what they were talking about 'Are you okay...' Is all he asked Caroline.

She was touched by the concern.

It was good enough for her, she asked him for a sole ride back into Mystic Falls which he graciously agreed to give her. Always a gentleman, that Stefan. She didn't ask about whether he wanted to wait for Elena or not. If he had wanted to wait he showed no inclination. Caroline didn't feel much like listening to any of Elena's lectures right now, she didn't want to sit in the same car as Bonnie. So she asked Stefan for a ride. The rest of them could get a ride with Alaric or Damon.

Before he put the car into drive, he hesitated looking at her, she already knew he wanted to offer her some kind empathic apology about this entire ridiculously violent and painful episode, maybe ask her if she wanted to talk about any of it, call his brother names yaddi yadda. She decided to put him out of his misery 'Stefan, it's okay I'm a big girl now, i can take it...i just really don't want to talk about anything okay?'

He nodded without a single bout of offence and put the gear in drive. Caroline closed her eyes, she would probably fall asleep during the ride back, and it occurred to her though that now she was the only one who knew the entire story of what exactly went down and why. Now she had secrets none of them knew or planned to share otherwise.

'You're smiling...' Stefan asked her, his eyes on the road; Caroline continued to smile with her eyes closed 'It's nothing really, nothing at all'

She thought about Damon's crooked smile and wondered strangely if Matt would be as concerned and gracious as the Vampire next to her. Doubtful, but then there were always dangerous liaisons to look forward to.

The End

* * *

A/N: Hello readers, am overwhelmed by the encouraging response to this story, Well, its' done and over. I finished the story, i hope this chapter was as enjoyable as the rest and that i can write it better next time if not. Do read and review.

Thank you for all the great reviews you have all given! They were a big help.

Ms. Dawes


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